Friendly Competition
by ghostgirl19
Summary: When Adrien finds himself competing against the greatest charmer for the girl he has his eyes on, he finds himself having to play dirty and woo her in secret. Regency AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: In which Adrien finds himself pitted against the greatest charmer and ultimately discovers he can play dirty as well.**

 **Or, in which I can't get any inspiration for my other fanfics and my brain decides to shit this idea out.**

* * *

 **Friendly** **Competition**

 **Part 1**

This was it.

Today was the day.

The day where he would finally walk into Marinette Dupain-Cheng's bakery, and come out courting the most perfect girl in all of France.

He could picture it now. He'd walk inside and see her at the counter, maybe decorating some cupcakes or cleaning the counter. He'd introduce himself with a smile and politely request to speak to her parents in privacy.

She would probably be confused. After all, what could Vicomte Adrien Agreste want with her parents; simple people working in a small bakery in the middle of the modest town? To formally request a courtship to begin between him, a Viscount, and their daughter, a peasant, isn't very common. The possibility would probably be the furthest reason from their minds.

His father had been very adamant in his refusal at first of potentially beginning a courtship with the young maiden. He told him that he needed to marry a woman of the nobility, a girl with grace and etiquette.

Gabriel had then suggested he try to purse Lady Chloe Bourgeois. The Bourgeois were very wealthy and a close family friend, with a daughter about three years younger than Adrien's 22. The Count was convinced that the two blondes would make a very handsome couple.

While it may be true that Chloe had grace and etiquette in public, in private it was an entirely different affair. She was mean to her servants, greedy, selfish, always willing to make someone feel beneath her. Since Adrien had grown up around her, he knew what she was like, and was not willing to dedicate the rest of his life to her.

Luckily, it didn't take too long to change his father's mind.

He remembered the day he happened to glance in Marinette's way in vivid detail. The Marquis Damocles was hosting a social gathering in the gardens of his mansion. The Agrestes, along with many other noble families, were invited to attend.

Adrien, always eager for socializing, happily went along with his father, who looked less than thrilled. It didn't deter his mood, though. Being mostly cooped up in his manor during his life didn't exactly include social gatherings every weekend.

He had hoped to see his friend Nino there, a very successful musician who had a history of playing at nobleman's parties. It was, in fact, the very reason they met. Nino, along with his other musicians, played at a ball held in the Agreste manor. Adrien happened upon him after the band took a break, they started talking, and a friendship very soon developed.

At the Marquis's social, he was disappointed to see his friend's band wasn't playing. Still, he'd try to make the most out of the social.

As he wandered around, looking for a friendly face, his eyes caught sight of a girl at an overly large table, filled with pastries of all kinds. Cakes, cupcakes, macarons, eclairs, all of it.

While normally he would've been positively drooling at the sight of so many sweets, it was the girl who had completely captured his attention.

Her hair went down to her mid-back, the sunlight reflecting off the black tresses making her hair almost look blue. Her eyes were the color of the ocean. He was sure if he could get close enough, he could probably get lost in them. Her lips were full, and pink, and looked soft to the touch.

The girl's lips broke out into a radiant smile, displaying a set of pearly white teeth as she directed her attention to a little girl who barely reached the table. From the back it looked like it resembled little Manon, the daughter of Lady Chumack, but he couldn't be too sure.

The beautiful woman gave her a cupcake and patted her head before the little girl took off, most likely looking for either her mother or her friends. Meanwhile, the blackette relaxed and started to situate the treats on the table.

It was obvious she wasn't of the nobility, she was most likely a peasant. Maybe wealthier than most since it was obvious she was involved with a bakery, but still poor enough to not tempt anyone of the higher class.

Adrien's eyes became half-lidded as he gazed at her, the corners of his lips turning up into a soft, fond smile.

Damn. He was enamored with a girl based purely on her inner and outer beauty. He didn't even know her name.

He flinched when a male servant came upon him, asking him if he would like a glass of wine. He accepted, and as an idea came to him, leaned in closer to his side, unintentionally making the man a bit wary.

"Tell me, who is that girl?"

"Which one, Vicomte?"

Adrien's green eyes strayed to the lovely woman, watching as she now gave a little boy a macaron to eat with a smile just as large as the one she presented to Manon.

He found himself automatically smiling in reaction.

"There. The one at the table, with all the pastries."

"Oh," the servant breathed in understanding. "That is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, only daughter of Tom and Sabine Cheng. Her parents run the best bakery in all the kingdom, I hear."

The blond nodded slowly. "I see. Do you happen to know her marital status?"

The servant turned, giving the inquiring man a strange look. Why would a man of his stature care about a peasant's marital status? Then again, he was no one to question the Vicomte.

"She is single, last I hear. No suitors."

He watched as the young nobleman's lips curled up into a devilish grin, and his eyes shined with calculation. Seeing this, the servant uneasily asked if that was all, to which he received an answer in the affirmative.

Though it was none of his business what an Agreste was planning, he was still ever curious of what was going on through that man's head. His first thought was that he planned to court her, but that was ridiculous. A Viscount and a peasant? Never.

It was now officially three days after the whole affair. Adrien stood outside the bakery, across the street.

He breathed in deep.

 _Alright, Agreste, you can do this. You're a Vicomte, they won't deny you a courtship with Marinette. This is probably the potential match of a lifetime for them._

True, while he could most likely achieve permission to court Marinette due to his status, it wasn't a guarantee that she would like him in return. If she detested him, he'd call the entire thing off. But he hoped it wouldn't come down to that. He honestly didn't know what to do in case the maiden didn't like him. There was no one else he considered at the moment being with.

Also, what if he grew to dislike her? He didn't really know her, has never spoken to her-

 _Relax. This is what courting is for, to figure out if the person is someone you could envision spending the rest of your life with._

He sighed before straightening and squaring his shoulders. This was ridiculous, he needed to get in there already and speak to her parents. Otherwise the romance would stop before it had even begun.

Adrien picked up his head and strode across the street, straight to the modest bakery. He didn't pause as he opened the door, his ears picking up on the light sounds of the bell ringing.

However, he froze as he saw her behind the counter. Her cheeks were flushed, most likely from exertion, and her hair was done into two, low-hanging pigtails that draped over her shoulders.

She blinked at him, in confusion, before applying a smile to her features.

"Good afternoon, Vicomte." She bowed her head in respect before lifting it again to speak with him. "What would you like?"

 _Well, it's not pastries._

"Actually, uh-I'm not here for pastries," he replied, mentally cringing on his earlier stutter. "I would like to privately converse with your parents, if you don't mind."

Marinette tilted her head, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Hm. You're the second man who has asked to speak with them today."

Wait. What?!

Second?

Who was the first?!

On the outside, Marinette could see Adrien to be smiling and nodding politely, and still requesting that he still see them nonetheless. Internally, he was screaming.

 _No. No no no no no no no! This can't be happening! I didn't plan for something like this to happen. What do I do? What if she's already committed to a courtship? God, I'd look like a total idiot._

He willed himself to relax.

 _You know, maybe it isn't a potential suitor after all. Maybe it's a customer, maybe it's a friend of her parents's. You never know._

"Hold on just a moment," she answered in a light, adorable voice that he desired to hear more of. "I'll go ask them if they could see you."

She disappeared behind a door behind the counter. Adrien waited patiently, taking on the proper stance that was ingrained into his brain since childhood. Stand perfectly straight, eyes forward, and hands clasped behind the back.

About a couple minutes later the blackette returned with a small smile.

"They said they're willing to see you. This way, Vicomte."

As Marinette led Adrien towards the back, where her father's study was, she couldn't help but wonder why he was there. Having a Baron ask to speak with her parents was surprising enough, but now a Vicomte? What was going on?

Adrien remained silent the entire time during their walk, only talking when he thanked her for leading the way after she had knocked on the door and was granted permission to enter.

Marinette walked away after that, claiming she had to go back to the counter and serve possible customers. Adrien took a deep breath, tried his best to relax, and opened the door.

He was greeted by the sight of a large, older man with brown hair and green eyes sitting behind a desk, with a slightly-younger woman with black hair and gray eyes seated in front of the desk, though off to the side a bit.

But what really drew his attention was the young Baron sitting directly in front of Marinette's father.

"Vicomte," Mr. Dupain greeted with a respectful nod. "Please, have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?"

"No, thank you," the blond replied, wary as he took the empty seat next to the Baron. There weren't many reasons why a young man wanted to speak with a maiden's parents, so it was most likely he was here for the same reason Adrien was.

"Vicomte Agreste, what a coincidence seeing you here," the Baron greeted, smiling though Adrien could see right through the fake pleasantry. Growing up in high society trained him to see past a person's lies.

So, he played right back, plastering on a fake smile. "And you, Baron Barbot. Tell me, what is the reason _you_ are here, this afternoon?"

Mr. Dupain chose this moment to speak up. "The Baron has requested permission to court my daughter, Marinette."

Adrien froze, he stared purely horrified at the older man. "You-uh-didn't grant him that, did you?"

An extremely rude response, but he had to know the answer.

Tom tilted his head, eyes scrutinizing the young blond. "By your response, would it be wrong of me to assume that you want the same thing Baron Barbot does?"

Adrien straightened in his seat, abandoning his earlier panic. He needed to be strong, and assertive in his request. No father wanted a nervous man for their daughter to marry.

"Yes, I do."

He ignored the probable dirty glares thrown his way by Theo, never straying his eyes away from Tom's stare.

The man finally cracked a small smile. "Well, this is certainly unusual. A Vicomte and a Baron, each seeking our daughter's hand. Very unusual, isn't it, my darling?" He turned his attention to his wife, smile widening and eyes twinkling with love and affection.

Sabine nodded. "Yes, it is," she agreed quietly, observing the two young men. However, her eyes lingered on Adrien the longest. She just had a certain feeling about him...

A corner of her mouth imperceptibly lifted.

Tom spoke again, eyes flickering between the two in front of him. "While normally, a father would grant the higher-ranking man permission to court..."

Adrien's stomach soared, for he was exactly one rank above Theo.

"...I won't, in this case."

And then it plummeted.

"I want Marinette to choose. After all, in the end, she will decide who she will marry. Be it either of you, or neither. We won't stand in the way of our daughter's happiness, Marinette is free to make any choice in this endeavor. Do you understand?"

Both nodded. While Adrien was pondering of how he could win the girl's heart, Theo was bitterly questioning on how a woman could possibly be granted the choice of her suitor. Women didn't know anything of the matter, it was the men's job to choose the woman he wanted, and it was hers to accept it.

He mentally questioned her father's sanity in his decision.

"You can both attempt to win my daughter's heart, but ultimately, she will be the deciding vote on who she ends up with. Agreed?"

Both nodded. "Agreed," they murmured simultaneously.

"Then I believe our discussion is over. We still have a bakery to run."

Tom stood and quickly walked over to his wife and held out a hand. The smaller woman smiled and blushed as she took her husband's hand, allowing him to help her up.

Adrien couldn't help but smile at the interaction. Theo merely turned and walked to the door.

The blond took the opportunity to step up to her parents, squashing his fears as he cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, Monsieur and Madame Dupain?"

Having their attention previously on each other, they didn't notice the man approach. They turned their heads and smiled at him in curiosity.

"Yes, Vicomte?" Tom asked.

"I-uh-" Jeez, how could he explain this? He knew there was only one way: honesty. "Well, I haven't exactly talked to your daughter before this afternoon. You see, I saw her at the Marquis's recent social gathering."

Tom nodded, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Yes, I remember. My wife and I were unable to attend, for we were visiting a sick relative."

"I hope they are feeling well," he blurted out, briefly going off-topic.

Sabine smiled. "My mother is feeling better. Thank you, Vicomte."

Adrien shook his head. "Please, call me Adrien. If there is a chance I could court Marinette, I don't want any formalities between us."

Tom brightened, finding that he beginning to like this prospective suitor. "Very well, Adrien."

He smiled before continuing with his earlier speech. "As I was saying before, I saw her there and I-well-" he blushed and couldn't help but rub a hand along the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Immediately Tom and Sabine grew suspicious and nervous.

"Wh-What did you do?" Sabine whispered in shock.

Adrien's green eyes impossibly widened when he understood their alarming concern. Damn, by the way he was talking, anyone would've misunderstood!

"No! Oh, no, no no! I didn't do anything at all! I was just going to say how beautiful I thought she was."

A sinking feeling resided in his stomach at his admission. Oh, God, just how pathetic did he sound?! He felt like banging his head against the nearest wall for his stupidity.

However, her parents didn't look the least bit amused at all. In fact, it looked like they positively glowed in pride and something else he couldn't place.

"You thought she was beautiful?" Sabine asked, smiling widely, almost slyly.

He couldn't get out of this one. As such, he bashfully nodded his head. "Yes. Still do, actually." A chuckle laced with ironic amusement slipped out of his mouth. "I was trying to work up the nerve for three days to speak with you about a courtship. I guess I should've came sooner, huh?"

Great. He wasn't planning on babbling like that. No girl's parents want a babbling, pathetic suitor for their daughter. How did he screw up so badly? He was supposed to be strong, clever, and self-assured. Not this mess he currently was.

They were smirking, he guessed they were mentally ridiculing him for his demeanor.

"Perhaps you should've, although my decision still would've been the same," Tom said, chuckling.

Adrien nodded in understanding, deciding to continue his full question.

"Since I didn't speak with her, I don't really know anything about her, other than that she's beautiful and kind. Could you please tell me something about her? Like what she likes to do in her free time? Or what color she likes? Or-"

Tom cut him off with a laugh. Adrien didn't know how to feel about the reaction.

"I'll tell you one thing, you're going to have to spend time with Marinette and figure the rest out yourself. Anyway, she loves designing all kinds of clothing, though I find she mainly sketches gowns. That is all I'm willing to tell you."

Sketching clothing...

His eyebrows lowered in concentration.

Sketching clothing...how could he incorporate that in his attempts to woo her?

He was snapped out of his mental musings by Tom's hand on his shoulder.

"You want to court her, right? Then why are you standing in here when Marinette and the Baron are out there?" He asked cheekily.

 _Shit!_

Adrien tossed out a quick good-bye and thank you before running out of the room, hopeful he wasn't too late...again.

Meanwhile, the couple shared a laugh in the now-empty room.

"I like him," Sabine commented, giggling. "I find him much more agreeable than that Baron."

Tom agreed with her, nodding. "Yes. I see potential in Adrien as well."

The corners of his mustache crinkled when he smiled.

"I trust she will make the right choice."

Adrien slowed to a walk when he was about to head back into the bakery. He straightened his clothing, trying to make himself _not_ look like he had just got done sprinting throughout the house.

Taking a breath, he calmly strode forward to see Theo in front of the counter, leaning in towards the flustered ravenette. His lips were curled into a flirtatious smirk and his eyes were half-lidded, while Marinette was biting her lip and her eyes were blown wide.

"I shall see you tomorrow then," Theo murmured seductively, before turning on his heel and striding out the door.

Dammit. He missed his chance, _again_.

He had about as much luck as a black cat.

Marinette turned to look at him, her cheeks gradually returning to their normal, pale state.

"I hope your visit with my parents went well, Vicomte."

He only shook his head dejectedly. "Just Adrien," he muttered, turning away and walking out the door, leaving the aspiring seamstress confused in his wake.

Why didn't he come here earlier? Why didn't he just leave the study like Theo had and manage to talk to her before he did? Now she had plans for tomorrow with him, and it looked like she was beginning to like him.

What would he do now?

"Well, Vicomte, I have to say. I'm surprised you're this slow. I had heard you were one of the smartest noblemen in the kingdom," Theo mused, suddenly appearing next to the depressed man. "Why, you practically let me have her!"

Adrien directed a frosty-green glare at the conniving man, saying nothing in return.

"Just give up, Vicomte. She's practically almost in my bed already. You have no chance."

"Is that what you're planning?" The blond hissed. "To just bed her and toss her, like your other conquests?"

It was no secret that Baron Theo Barbot had a rather large history with women. He was known to be the best charmer of them all, no woman had ever refused him. The idea of Theo treating Marinette the same way, just using her, made Adrien's temper spark. He knew the girl deserved much better, she deserved a man that would genuinely love her.

Theo shrugged. "Honestly, I was thinking of it. But now I can't help but think of the possibilities with her. I can't picture myself ever tiring of her, so why not make her my wife? Besides, it would do to have heirs."

"You don't deserve her," Adrien ground out through clenched teeth. "All you feel for her is lust."

Theo raised a brow. "And you don't?"

Adrien's cheeks tinted pink at the insinuation. "I do," he admitted. "But I would marry her before doing anything."

He shook his head and tsk'ed in pity. "You're too soft for your own good. You have no business in these games. While you talked with her parents, God knows why, _I_ made plans with Marinette. You need to play dirty, something that, I'm sure, you have no concept of. Face it, Vicomte, you have no chance with her. Now, if you will excuse me, I must be off. I have a big day to plan for tomorrow."

With one last grin, he set off down the street, leaving the higher-ranking nobleman standing outside of the bakery, alone in the summer sun.

He glared at the street below him, silently fuming. Theo was right, he was the charmer of the two of them. He'd win Marinette's heart in no time, and he'd end up marrying her and the two would end up having little brown-haired, brown-eyed babies.

His mental misery was cut short when he noticed something moving against his leg. Peering down, he saw a black alley cat rubbing itself against his leg, purring in content.

He sighed.

 _As much luck as a black cat._

He looked back up towards the bakery, emerald eyes taking in the pastries in the window, the girl inside with her head bent cleaning the counter, and up towards the roof, where he happened to spy a small balcony littered with potted plants.

Heh. Just like a princess to have a balcony. Or a high-bred Lady, like Juliette. Balconies were common in the books and plays he had read in his studies, they were settings for most romantic rendezvous between the girl and her lover.

He looked back down at the cat, still purring against him.

Black cat. Balcony. Romantic...

An idea flickered to life in his mind, causing his lips to curl into a sinful, calculating smirk.

 _Let's just see how much of a concept I have of playing dirty._

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 **A/N: In French, Juliet's name is spelled 'Juliette'**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Not only do I need to get my shit together with my stories, but also with my schoolwork *sighs* But at least I'll be off for most of January (I work a seasonal job so I'll be working as soon as the semester is over) so I can work on my stories then :)**

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 **Chapter 2**

"Good night, Maman and Papa!" Marinette called before disappearing upstairs to her room.

Her parents, choosing to wait awhile before going to sleep themselves, lovingly returned the sentiment from their seats in the sitting room. After exchanging smiles with them, the young woman walked up the stairs to her room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

Using the moonlight leaking through her balcony doors for guidance, she walked to her desk and lit the candle, helping further bathe the room in light.

At that moment she heard she heard a little rustling noise, followed by a few squeaks. With a small smile she turned in the direction it came from, and started walking to the medium-sized metal cage.

"I'm sorry Tikki, did I disturb your sleep?" Marinette crooned, opening the cage door to slip a finger inside to pet the fluffy, red hamster. It blinked tiredly at her, but nuzzled into her finger's strokes nonetheless.

"Such a good girl," she quietly praised as she brought the tiny animal out of its home. She held Tikki in the palms of her hands, raising them to give her a kiss on her small head.

Marinette grabbed a sweet almond from the little bowl she had placed by the cage on her dresser and gave it to Tikki. She instantly grabbed it from her fingers and practically shoved the whole thing in her mouth.

"I guess you were in the mood for almonds today," Marinette giggled. She padded to her bed, sighing as she finally was able to lie down and relax. She propped herself up on one elbow on her pillow, putting Tikki down on the mattress just below her chin.

"You wouldn't believe the strange day I had," she mused in thought, watching her hamster's cheeks move rapidly as she chewed on the almond. "Two young men came into the bakery, Baron Barbot and Vicomte Agreste. They wanted to speak to my parents for some reason. I don't know what to think of it, it's not often we get nobility in our bakery."

As Tikki swallowed the last bits of her snack, her owner used a finger to gently scratch her head.

"And after that, the Baron asked me to walk with him in the park tomorrow." She frowned in contemplation. "I said yes, since he's a Baron and all, but I'm not sure about him."

Tikki stared at the pondering girl, her head tilted cutely to one side.

"He seemed..." she struggled for the right word; she was never good with them. "Pushy. He had no qualms about getting close to me. And when he asked me to go with him, it honestly felt like he wasn't asking me at all. I feel...well, manipulated."

Marinette sighed, her lips still tugged down into a frown.

"I think he wants to court me, Tikki. It would be a great match for me; he's young, handsome, and well off. But I just have this vibe about him that I can't get past. What do you think?" she asked her pet, only to receive a blank stare in response.

"Then there was the Victomte. He seemed nervous and kind of jittery, but for some reason he looked depressed when he finished talking with Maman and Papa. I wonder what he wanted in the first place. If he was here for the same reason as Theo, he surely would've tried to invite me to spend some time with him. And it was like he could barely look at me."

A corner of her mouth turned up in a rueful half-grin.

"It's a shame, I think he might have been a nice man. He was handsome, too." She grinned as she remembered those bright green eyes and golden tresses. " _Very_ handsome."

Tikki made an insulted squeak, her nose twitching in anger.

Marinette giggled and bent down to kiss her hamster on the head. "Don't worry, Tikki, I'm not becoming one of those airy girls who daydream about a man's looks all the time." She scoffed a laugh. "If I start fantasizing about a man, it's going to be for far much more than his looks."

Owner and pet lay there for a few more seconds, basking in the calming silence of the night, when the sounds of feet landing on her balcony floor alerted the ravenette.

Her eyebrows drew down in suspicion as her eyes stared out the glass doors leading to the balcony. She couldn't see a thing. Then again, her bed was at an angle, so the full balcony wasn't in her view.

"I'll be right back, Tikki," Marinette vowed, voice hard as she slowly stood and walked over to her desk. Pulling out a drawer, she picked up a single knitting needle and held it in her fist. She never used the knitting needles, instead preferring to use the smaller, regular kind for sewing dresses and such, but now she was glad to have them.

And at least she might finally have a use for them. Perhaps her parents' gift wouldn't have been given in vain, after all.

She crept to the balcony doors, knitting needle in hand, and peered outside into the darkness. Still not finding anything, she pulled open the door and took a few steps into the warm night.

She looked towards the left, but saw nothing except for her potted plants on the wooden table her father had built for her. She craned her head towards the right, to the corner bathed in shadow.

At that moment the sound of a boot stepping forward made her flinch. Heart jumping in sudden panic, she shrieked a battle cry worthy of Sparta's greatest warriors and flung her arm forward in an attempt to stab the intruder.

"Woah!" A masculine voice cried out. It's holder stepped out of the shadows and quickly caught his attacker's wrist, holding it high and out of reach of his heart.

Her breath left her as she gazed at her prowler, ocean eyes wide and unleaving of him. He wore a loose-fitting black silk shirt, with matching pants and shoes. He had a black sash tied around the waist, the end of it trailed to the ground, resembling a tail of some sort.

Her eyes flickered to his face, how green eyes shone out of a black mask and black, leather cat ears were pinned to the top of a pile of unruly blond hair.

The man looked to be around her age of 19, maybe a few years older. But maybe she should stop gawking at the trespasser and find a way to get her wrist free so she could properly stab him.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you," he tried to reassure her, though his words had no effect on the headstrong girl. "I just wanted to see you, that's all."

"You can see me when the bakery opens at seven," she hissed, eyes narrowed into a threatening glare. "Now release me!"

"Only when you promise not to stab me with your," he paused, green orbs tilting up to see her odd weapon of choice. The edges of his lips twitched in poorly-concealed amusement. "Knitting needle?"

"That's only because I didn't have a sword ready," she bit out through clenched teeth. "Now let me go!" She tried tugging her hand away, with his grip on her tightening in response.

"Promise not to attack me again?" he returned, almost lazily through a teasing grin.

An idea chose that moment to strike the maiden. She doubted it would work, but hey, most of Paris's criminals weren't all too bright. At least, that's what she assumed, since any smart man should be smart enough to make an honest living.

Marinette's wrist ceased it's pulling and she gave him one of her most innocent smiles. Her blue eyes looked up at him through her lashes as she nodded.

"Yes, Monsieur. I won't try to attack you again, I promise."

Good thing she used her other hand to cross her fingers behind her back.

The stranger leaned forward, eyes narrowed in question as he scrutinized her. For a second she was distracted by how bright they were, like the emerald gem. For all the green eyes she had seen throughout her life, she was postive that his were the most beautiful.

"You're lying," he accused, breaking her out of her thoughts. She growled in frustration at her foiled plan and once more tried breaking her wrist free, yet he still held on with that iron grip.

"I swear, I'm not a common thief of the night or anything," he spoke, having already backed away.

"Then why were you sneaking around on my balcony?" she demanded. "Like any _common thief of the night_?"

He groaned at hearing his words thrown right back at him. "Listen, I swear to you by...uh," he looked around, eyes stopping above him towards the sky, "the moon-"

"Swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb," Marinette recited on instinct. She raised an eyebrow. "Lest that thy _honesty_ prove likewise variable."

The stranger blinked, looking dumbfounded by her words. She wondered if her verbal attack was understood. It probably wasn't, since criminals weren't too smart.

Instead, he surprised her by leaning forward with a sly curl of his lips.

"Romeo and Juliette," he purred lowly, the deep sound causing her breath to hitch and her cheeks to feel strangely warm. She shook off the foreign fluttery feeling in her stomach and set her eyes into a harsh glare.

"So you're an educated man," she concluded, tone hardened. "What does an educated man need with a little bakery money?"

"I already told you I'm not here to steal from you," he retorted, his tone and roll of the eyes revealing his annoyed state. She ground her teeth seeing it, angry that he had the nerve to become annoyed with her, when _he_ was the one intruding on _her_ balcony.

"My name is Chat Noir," he introduced, bending down and turning her hand over so he could plant a kiss on her knuckles. She blinked in astonishment at the sudden gallant change in him, her mind barely registering the odd name. "And I'm a man that only wished to see you. Nothing more."

Now Marinette didn't know what to think. Could he be telling the truth, or could he be tricking her and planning to steal her parents' money? She had to admit, if he was a thief, then he probably would've found a way to distract her already while he went and stole everything in sight.

If that wasn't the case, then why did he want to see her, enough to climb to her balcony in the middle of the night?

"You wanted to see me?" she repeated in question. Her inquiring blue gaze wasn't lost on the the blond.

"Yes. I had to, my Lady. I very recently caught a passing glance of you and your beauty had me under your spell. I couldn't hold myself back any longer and simply had to see you again," he declared, looking up at her with honest eyes.

Her hold slackened on the needle as she heard him, staring at him wide-eyed. He just said words that any girl would dream of hearing from a suitor. Their breaths would leave their lungs and they would swoon right into the awaiting man's arms.

Too bad for him she wasn't like those other girls, who easily fell for foolish charms and honeyed words.

"How sweet," she returned sarcastically, her grip tightening on her needle again. "Now tell me why you're really here."

"It's true!" he protested, standing. "I promise you it's true! Well...half-true, anyway," he murmured, scratching the back of his neck with a gloved hand in a sheepish manner.

"Ah, there we go," she encouraged, her voice practically dripping with mockery. "Now we're on to something. Go on, tell me the rest."

"Well," he stammered. "I-uh-was actually hoping to pursue you as well."

Her expression must've been comical with how her mouth dropped. To his credit, he didn't laugh, instead still looking at her with what looked like hope swimming in those emerald orbs.

Marinette blanched, this time her needle clattered to the ground. As soon as it left her fingers, Chat Noir released her wrist, allowing her to take it back and hold it to her chest, even though he hadn't injured it.

Oh, God. He wasn't lying. She hated liars, and was able to spot one a mile away, but his eyes practically screamed 'not guilty'. He was actually telling the truth.

But why go to the trouble of all this? Why dress in that black getup and prowl around her balcony close to ten at night in the hopes of seeing her? Why not just approach her during the day?

"You want to pursue me?" she asked, wanting the clarification. "Like a suitor?"

He bobbed his head up and down, a warm smile beginning to leak on his handsome features. "Yes, exactly that."

Well, she guessed that must mean his earlier comment about her beauty was true too. It felt weird, she had never heard of someone so passionately speak of her-average in her opinion-looks.

"In that case, then why not just talk to me during the day, in the bakery and not on my balcony?" she inquired curiously. She had no idea how she felt about his wanting to be her suitor. She had already guessed that Theo wanted to become one, but for some reason his intentions struck her as more genuine, and thus the probability of having a suitor seemed all the more real.

"There are some complications that I can't disclose," he answered uneasily. "I can't pursue you during the day as I would like to."

He could've added that he didn't want to have to fight for her attention with Theo, that it was just easier going about it this way. That this way, he could have her all for himself, but he didn't feel it was time to reveal that just yet.

The maiden pursed her lips as she thought about this new discovery. Why couldn't he pursue her during the day? She would've asked, but based on the 'complications he couldn't disclose', she had a feeling he wouldn't answer.

"I swear to you I have the most noble intentions," he vowed, dipping into a bow only the most noble of men could make. "All I want is a chance to win your love and affection, that's it."

"And?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.

And what would he do once he had her love, provided he eventually got it, of course. Would he break her heart like she'd seen happen to countless young women, or would he marry her like she's seen few men do?

Yet the meaning of her question was lost on him, as he tilted his head and let out a 'what?'

" _And_ ," she emphasized, drawing out the word. "What would you do once you had my love?"

"I could only hope that you would marry me," he replied seriously with utter truth lacing his voice.

She slightly frowned at the new revelation, mind tracing back to what had transpired thus far. A man snuck onto her balcony in the dead of night, she thought it was a common thief when in reality it was just a man virtually begging for a chance of winning her heart, and now he says that if he won her love, he would marry her.

Despite his suspicious way of seeing her, his intentions were honest. However, he was still shrouded with mystery. His real name, for example, was one of the many things still hidden. He had introduced himself as Chat Noir, and while the name fit with his current ensemble, no parents named their child that.

But she knew if she asked, he wouldn't give it to her, at least not this early. If he had given her a false name only minutes ago, he surely wouldn't divulge the real one now.

"Let me see if my assumptions are correct," she spoke carefully. "You aren't a thief wanting to steal from my family's bakery, you instead want to pursue me and become my suitor, and marry me if all goes well. Is that correct?"

"All of it, my Lady," he replied with a beaming smile, the moonlight glinting off his white teeth, therby giving her a perfect view.

"Well, I hate to break your spirits, Kitty, but I don't have an answer for you right now. What happened so far is a lot to take in, and I need time to think it over."

Yet he didn't seem discouraged at all. And why would he be, for she didn't outright refuse him. She just needed to think it over.

"Of course, my Lady, take all the time you need," Chat returned, smiling brightly. It took the girl by surprise, because normally men would get irritated when told by a woman to wait for her opinion on him.

Marinette allowed a small smile to grace her features. The way he met her may have been unorthodox, but she found herself liking this man. He had treated her with the utmost respect and kindness, never losing his temper even when she attacked him. It appeared he was intelligent, given his recognizing the words of the play she had recited.

But most of all, he wanted to pursue her like a true gentleman: win her heart and marry her, not demand for her hand in marriage and become enraged when faced with a rejection like so many other men.

Also, a tiny part of her, that often hidden shallow part, had to admit he was extremely handsome from what she could see not hidden by the mask.

An even tinier part had to admit that the roguish way he had snuck onto her balcony to meet with her made him even more attractive in her eyes.

Her smile turned into a coquettish smirk, she saw his eyes widen and his Adam's apple bob in response. She barely held back her giggles as she slowly approached him, eyes lidded and promising good rewards should his intentions be what they say they are.

"Come back tomorrow night, _Chaton_ , and you shall have my answer then."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for the overwhelming support for this story, I hope this part was worth the wait!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Baron Theo Barbot was…well, he was something else, alright.

He certainly looked the part of a gentleman: clean, pressed clothes, neatly-styled hair, offering his arm to her. However, Marinette knew of the phrase 'not to judge a book by its cover' and she became well-enough acquainted with that saying during her walk in the park with him.

She could barely get a word in as they walked together, for he was too absorbed in his own speeches and boasting to pay any sort of attention to her. When she tried opening her mouth to speak, he could just consider that an agreement for what he previously said and dive into another topic.

He bragged about his money, his home, his ancestry, his artistic talents, his incredible wealth, his impressive lake behind his home, his great-great-great-great-great grandfather who amassed the family fortune and title, his paintings, his riches that could entice any female…

Marinette contemplated tripping and feigning a broken ankle in order for this torturous afternoon to end. But with her luck she would wind up actually breaking her ankle and probably her leg as well. As much as she wanted to get out of this, being hurt wasn't worth it.

To tune him out, her mind turned to thoughts of her mysterious visitor the night before. At least Chat Noir let her talk. In fact, he had been a perfect gentleman through and through, unlike this fop walking beside her.

She had given it much thought after he left, and more so now during Theo's monologue. After he proved himself not to be a thief, she found him to be likable. Especially since he made his intentions known: to pursue her and marry her should he succeed in winning her love. She could tell he wasn't lying. She despised liars, and so she could immediately tell when one was lying. But Chat Noir seemed true with his declarations; she couldn't detect any hints of deception in his eyes.

And what eyes he had…such a deep, pleasing green, like the hills of the countryside on a spring day. They were warm with kindness and underlying passion. _All for her_ , a part of her mind whispered, resulting in a flutter in her heart and a blush to bloom over her cheeks.

He was undeniably handsome, and a man who knew how to speak to take her breath away, she was sure. She wasn't in love with him, but if she wasn't careful she might soon start falling for her roguish suitor.

Although, would that really be so bad?

"Miss Marinette?"

She turned, meeting the Baron's concerned gaze.

"Are you alright? I just asked you if you were interested in seeing the lake at my home but you never answered."

She wanted to say no. Oh, God, how she wanted to refuse him.

However, she wasn't that mean. She would feel bad if she just outright rejected him like that. But she still didn't want to go and spend even more time with him than was necessary.

"Maybe someday," she answered instead, hoping that would please him. It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't an outright 'no' either.

Theo grinned, a particular gleam shining in his eyes that made her feel uncomfortable. It was leering; as he looked at her she felt she was some sort of prey. The tingles that were shooting down her spine weren't of the good kind, either.

"I look forward to it, then. And who knows?" he murmured, stopping to pick up her hand. She had no time to think about his purpose behind it when he pulled her hand close to his mouth. His tongue darted out to wet his lips before he placed them on her knuckles in a moist kiss.

"Maybe one day it will be yours."

Her own lips twisted into a disgusted scowl as she wrenched her hand free, discreetly wiping the back of it on her dress.

"That was inappropriate, Baron," she addressed icily.

Theo frowned for a moment before his grin was back in place.

"Yes, of course, Miss Marinette. My humblest apologies."

She nodded, unsure of what else to do. She couldn't very well berate him in public; it wouldn't be 'lady-like'. But she did know of one thing she could do.

"I wish to return to my home, Baron."

Theo fought against a scowl threatening to break out across his lips. However, his efforts were in vain since Marinette was easily able to sense his displeasure.

"Very well. Allow me to walk you home?" he asked, the mask of a polite gentleman slipping back into place.

Well, it wasn't like she could refuse him. If she did then who knows what the nosy, gossiping women strolling in the park watching them like hawks would say. It wasn't so much that she was worried about what they could do to her reputation, rather what they could do to ruin her bakery's business. Because if word got around that Marinette refused a Baron's invitation for an escort home, there would undoubtedly be consequences for her family's bakery since she was connected to it.

"Alright, Baron," she replied, even though she very much wanted to just turn around and walk home by herself.

The short walk wasn't so bad. He didn't say or do anything more to upset her, and so by the time they reached the bakery's front door she had sufficiently calmed down.

"I really enjoyed our time spent together, Miss Marinette. I'm hosting a game of _jeu de mail_ at my estate tomorrow, and was wondering if I may have the honor of your company?" he asked, flashing her a fetching smile.

Marinette faltered, her mouth tugging down into a frown as she pondered his request. To be honest, she didn't want to go to an event hosted by _him_ …but she did like gatherings, plus she could possibly sell her parent's bakery goods to the people who would be there. And if he was hosting this game, then he would likely be playing it, and thus wouldn't be able to talk to her that much, right?

"Alright, Baron," she decided, forcing a smile to spread her lips. "I'll be happy to come to your event tomorrow."

"Excellent."

He took her hand and gave it a lingering kiss, not noticing how her lips twisted into a disgusted scowl.

"I shall see you at one, then. Have a wonderful evening, Miss Marinette."

"You as well, Baron," she replied easily as he bent into a curt bow before he strolled away, a grin set on his lips as he did so.

Marinette allowed a smirk to overtake her own features as well, as the thought of her new nightly visitor came to her mind.

…

"Good evening, My Lady!" Chat Noir greeted her once she stepped out into the warm night air. He had tapped on one of the glass doors to her balcony to alert her of his presence, stepping back once he saw her coming to meet with him.

He dipped into a low, gentlemanly bow as he held out a red rose, free of any thorns for her to take.

"A red rose?" Marinette mused teasingly, but took it nonetheless. "I haven't even given you my answer yet, Chaton."

"I know," he answered solemnly. "But I wanted you to have it no matter what your answer is."

"And if I refuse you?" she asked, her calm eyes locked on his anxious ones. "What would you do?"

Chat frowned as he gradually stood to his full height. His green eyes flickered once to the roof of the balcony before looking into her own.

"Then I can only hope you'll take me as a friend. And if you don't desire my friendship, then I shall leave you alone."

"Hm," she hummed, delicately fingering the stem of the rose in her hand. Her lips curved into an enticing smirk as she stepped closer to him, making her companion gulp and blush. Her smirk curled deeper at the flustered reaction she drew out of him.

"Then it's a good thing my answer is yes," she whispered, smiling as she backed away from him. Her purpose was to tease him, not to give him any wrong ideas about her. She didn't want to seem like one of those common harlots who regularly threw themselves at men.

"R-Really?" he stuttered in disbelief, hope swimming in those green orbs. An excited smile broke out on his face. "You're giving me a chance?"

"Yes," she confirmed, a warm feeling bubbling in her stomach at the delighted expression he wore. All just because she was giving him a chance to pursue her. "Just don't make me regret it," she joked.

"Never, My Lady," he vowed, reaching out for her hand. She gladly let him take it, allowing him to press a soft kiss on her knuckles. She decided then and there that she much preferred Chat Noir's kisses compared to Theo's.

"Thank you," he whispered, eyes shining with an emotion Marinette couldn't place.

Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, she stammered out a 'you're welcome' prior to taking her hand from his. In hindsight, she figured that she should've said something better than a simple 'you're welcome', but she was a bit frazzled in the moment and could only say what was expected to be said after a 'thank you'. Although thankfully he didn't seem to mind, as he kept smiling warmly at her.

She cleared her throat, her mind mentally noting just how late it was.

"As much as I would love to continue this, Chat, I'm afraid I must be getting some sleep. I have an event to go to tomorrow and it wouldn't do to look fatigued."

"An event?" he questioned curiously. "What kind of event?"

"The Baron Barbot has invited me to his game of _jeu de mail_ he is hosting at his estate tomorrow afternoon, and I plan on attending. I was hoping I could sell my parents' pastries while I was there," she explained. With a bittersweet smile, she added, "hopefully the Baron will be playing the game so much that he won't pay attention to me."

"Does that mean you dislike him?" Chat asked with hope lacing his voice as he perked up.

Marinette giggled, shaking her head.

"I don't particularly dislike him, but I'm not…well," she paused, fumbling for the right words. "I don't wish to be around him all the time."

"Unlike me?" he purred, waggling his eyebrows while presenting her a comical flirtatious grin as he leaned his head closer to her.

"Maybe," she replied coyly, using her finger to push him back by the nose.

"So, an event hosted by the Baron Barbot," he murmured to himself after wriggling his nose, crossing his arms together as he obviously pondered about something.

"Chat…?" she questioned warily, wondering where his thought process was going. Her call seemed to snap him out of it, for he blinked before taking her hand and giving it a farewell kiss in parting.

"Have a _purr_ fect time, My Lady," he crooned, looking up at her with mischief twinkling in his eyes. Her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. Just what game was he playing?

"See you sooner than you may think," he bade with a wink before he walked to the edge of her balcony, to the railing. He stopped once to peer back at her to send her another wink and a confident grin before he took hold of the railing in his hands and flipped himself over and out of sight.

Marinette gasped, worried for his safety as she ran to where he last stood, dread welling inside her as she prepared to look over and see his body.

Well, she did see him, but he was far from hurt. Apparently he had landed in the bushes, safe and sound. He noticed her looking and breathing a sigh of relief, a smirk slowly curling his lips as he did so.

"Why, My Lady, were you worried for this stray's safety?" he teased.

Marinette tried her best to scoff nonchalantly as her cheeks delved into a rosy color. Thank goodness the night shielded the blush from him, otherwise she knew she would never hear the end of it.

"Not at all," she returned easily.

"Then you were just impressed with my daring feat?" he quipped, grinning as he knew there was no answer she could create to get out of this.

"Nope," she replied, turning away and letting the wind carry the rest of her answer to his ears.

"I just wanted to see if cats really landed on their feet."

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait, fam. I hope this chapter was interesting enough, and I do plan for the next one to be even better ;)**

 **Also, jeu de mail is an old form of croquet :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next morning, after Marinette had put on one of her better dresses and pinned up her hair, she deemed herself ready for the day's outing. Grabbing her satchel, she moved to leave her room, but not before giving Tikki an affectionate scratch from inside her cage. She had already made sure the hamster had enough food and water for the duration in which she would be gone.

When she walked downstairs, her parents looked her up and down with smiles etched onto their faces.

"And where are you going on this lovely morning?" her mother inquired with a sly twinkle in her gray eyes, her father mirroring the expression.

"The Baron Barbot is hosting a game of jeu de mail at his estate today and has invited me. I was planning on going and-"

Her parents suddenly frowned, all traces of their earlier smiles completely vanished.

"Will the Vicomte Agreste be there as well?" Tom interrupted, his tone strangely curious.

At this, Marinette furrowed her brows and tilted her head in confusion. What did Vicomte Agreste have to do with anything?

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"No reason," he answered nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. "Have a nice time, cupcake."

"I will," she replied, still curious but trying to let go of it. "I was hoping I could go and socialize while selling some of our pastries-"

"Oh no, dear!" Sabine quickly admonished. "You were invited as a guest, you're not going to sell pastries. You're going to have fun and relax, while _not_ doing any work."

Marinette protested, insisting that she should sell some pastries and make extra money for the bakery, but her parents were adamant on their refusal. At one point, Sabine started to gently push her daughter out the door. Eventually, Marinette understood that she simply wasn't going to win this time, and so resigned to bid her parents a good-bye, but not without giving them a displeased scowl.

From there on Marinette began the trek to the estate. It wasn't a far walk, though still a considerable distance for her. She thought that since Theo invited her and knew where she lived, not to mention that he was interested in courting her, that he would've sent for a carriage. Apparently not.

She picked up her dress's skirt and tried her best to not get dirt on the hem from the road as she walked. Closing her eyes, she inhaled a deep lungful of the fresh summer air, tilting her head up to the sky for the gentle breeze to play with and tousle her locks.

Unfortunately that would be the last breeze for a while. With the sun beating down upon her, she could already feel the trickles of sweat beading across the top of her forehead. She wiped it off with the back of her hand, careful not to accidentally touch her hair in the process.

She made it about a quarter of the way there when she heard the tell-tale sounds of a horse pulling a carriage along. She simply moved closer to the grassy edge of the road to let it pass, head brought down and minding her own business. It wasn't really polite to gawk at passing carriages, in her eyes.

Marinette was content to stick with her leisurely pace, until her ears picked up on what sounded like the horse slowing down. Why would it do that? There wasn't another road it could turn to. None of her friends owned carriages, so it couldn't be one who happened upon her and offer to take her to the estate.

"Miss Marinette? Is that you?"

She stopped at the calling of her name. Turning, she locked eyes with Vicomte Agreste, who had his head poked out of the window peering down at her with an intrigued stare. She hadn't seen him ever since he stopped in the bakery and requested to speak with her parents, then only mumbling a quick "just Adrien" to her before he left.

He was still as handsome as ever. While the sun was rather harsh to her, for Adrien the rays seemed to create a golden halo around his head. The corner of his lips turned up in a smile, and it was then that she remembered that he just asked her if she was indeed who he thought she was.

"Yes, it's me, Victomte." The words sounded awkward to her ears as she dipped into a quick curtsey, showing him the proper respect for his title. "Did you wish to speak with me?"

"There's no need for such formalities," he said, still wearing that friendly smile. "I presume you're going to the Baron Barbot's estate, yes? Would you be interested in accompanying me there?"

Marinette blinked, surprised by his offer.

"You're asking me if I want to ride with you in your carriage?" she asked for clarification. Why would he offer a peasant, a person who hardly mattered to someone of his status, transportation?

He grinned.

"Yes, if you would like to."

"I'm afraid I have no money, sir."

At this he laughed.

"I have no desire for any payment, Miss Marinette. So, will you join me? I can't imagine the sun being very kind for anyone walking today."

His statement reminded her of the very source for the cause of the sweat still dotting her forehead, and now trickling down her neck. However, she wouldn't jump right into accepting his offer. She was still skeptical, it seemed too good to be true.

Then again, he didn't seem like a manipulative cad. She never heard any particularly scandalous rumors about him. And those green eyes just looked so earnest…

Not to mention, just the slightest bit familiar.

"W-Well, if you insist," she accepted, shrugging off the nagging feeling inside her and walked to the carriage door. Adrien opened it and offered his hand, prompting Marinette to pick up her head to look him in the eyes with a faint smirk dancing on her lips.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I am perfectly capable of getting in on my own, Vicomte."

Adrien responded with a grin, backing away with his hands held high in the air as she climbed in the carriage and sat across from him.

"I have no doubt you can, as you just displayed. However, I'm afraid the imposed rules of society dictate me to offer a lady my hand for assistance when it comes to things like stepping into carriages."

Marinette scoffed lightly in amusement mixed with a bit of wonder. Most men wouldn't say those kinds of words. Most men tended to think that women were fragile and dainty creatures that needed their help with everything, and were all too eager to let that mindset show at every opportunity.

Adrien matched her smile with one of his own before lightly rapping on the wall and telling the driver that he could resume the journey.

Marinette felt herself relax in the plush, not to mention doused in cooling shade, cushion. Yes, being inside here was much better than walking outside with the hot sun beating down her back.

She directed her focus on the man in front of her, who was studiously staring down at his knees with his lips pressed into a firm line. She couldn't blame him for possibly feeling awkward, there was practically a stranger sitting across from him, after all.

Little did she know that he wasn't feeling awkward from her presence at all; he was just mentally searching for something interesting to say.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Vicomte," she spoke, breaking him from his thoughts. He blinked and stared up at her, her words bringing a half-smile to his lips. "How can I repay you?"

"Well, you could refrain from calling me by my title and instead refer to me by my name," he suggested with a slight chuckle.

Marinette shook her head. He was nice, and even though he offered casualty, he was still above her station. Ironically, him being so nice only helped to solidify her decision to treat him with the courtesy he deserved, as Marinette was a firm believer in that respect was earned and not to be given. If someone treated her with good manners and kindness, then she would offer the same to them.

"You're above my place in society, _Vicomte_. You deserve to be called by your proper title."

He appeared unbothered by her refusal. Instead, he leaned forward with a lopsided smirk.

"I think I deserve to be called by my name if it's what I prefer, don't you agree?"

Marinette leaned back, carefully folding her arms together, regarding him with a raised brow.

"You're not like the other gentlemen of high society. What person of your class gives such permission to practically a stranger?"

"I'd hardly call us strangers, Miss Marinette." He grinned broadly, as a peculiar twinkle took over his eyes.

She deemed his sly expression nothing of consequence, deducing it to be only another trait of his apparent oddness.

"Yes," she sarcastically agreed, rolling her eyes with a faint smile. "Because speaking only a few words to each other in my parents' bakery deemed us the best of friends."

"And you're riding with me in my carriage," he pointed out, completely self-satisfied. "So we can't possibly be strangers."

She let out a short laugh, both bemused and mysteriously charmed by him.

"If you say so."

"I'm glad we could agree," he returned, just the slightest bit smug. However, his smile began to fade as their conversation lulled into a silence. He wanted to keep her interested; he didn't want her to be bored with his company.

After all, if she never at least came to tolerate Adrien, how could he expect for her to return his affections when he would eventually reveal himself?

Speaking of which, this whole reason why he decided to romance her in secrecy…

"So, you were invited to the Baron Barbot's estate," he began, careful with his choice of words. He didn't want to seem like he was prying. "You must be pretty special to receive an invitation from a Baron."

The woman before him shrugged.

"I guess. He only invited me because he's trying to court me."

"That's a good thing, right?" he asked, even though inside he thought the exact opposite. "Marrying someone of his status could mean a future with practically no worries."

"Yes, I will live a life of comfort, but that wouldn't exactly guarantee my happiness." She frowned, not liking where this conversation was going. She didn't want to have a heart-to-heart with someone she barely knew. "I assume you're friends with the Baron to get an invitation as well?"

Honestly she hoped that he wasn't friends with Theo. So far, Adrien seemed just too nice and polite to possibly be around someone like him.

Adrien, not willing to push yet not exactly satisfied at the small amount of information given to him, smiled as if nothing was amiss.

"Not quite." His smile stretched into a devilish grin. "Are you aware of the practice of 'gatecrashing', Miss Marinette?"

She blinked, struck dumb by his question. Was he really-?!

"You're…you're attending the event _uninvited_?"

Not only was he strange, but he was reckless as well.

"Of course. It seems like it's going to be a very agreeable day, and I know plenty of people that are going. Besides, I'm always one for a game of jeu de mail. I was the best during my school days, you know." He winked.

That, combined with the roguish curl of his lips, had her stomach doing an uncanny set of flips.

"Do-do you know why the Baron hasn't invited you?" she asked with a slight stutter, wanting him to cease with that mischievous expression already.

Thankfully, he did, settling with an indifferent smile.

"We've never seen eye to eye with each other, to put it simply, so I'm not surprised that I didn't receive an invitation."

"But why do you want to go if you don't like him?" she questioned, her curiosity piqued.

"Let's just say," he paused, thinking over his next words. "That we're both after something right now and I don't want to allow him another opportunity to have it, not while I have a chance to stop it from happening."

This time when he gazed at her, she couldn't discern the new emotion shining in his eyes. The longer she spent trying to figure it out, the more she grew unknowingly lost in the depths of his mysteriously-familiar green eyes.

It was only when the carriage abruptly halted that the two were jolted back to reality. Marinette shook her head to clear it, mentally scolding herself for staring at another gentleman when she already had one (who was _not_ Theo) trying to claim her heart.

Meanwhile, Adrien was trying to calm himself to reduce the blush he knew had to be staining his cheeks. For a wild moment, he considered telling her exactly who he was, that he was the masked rogue coming to her balcony under the moonlight trying to woo her into marrying him.

He was quick to stop that idea as soon as it had come. Suddenly dropping that information on her would undoubtedly scare her away, which he had absolutely no intentions of doing if he wanted her to love him one day.

He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Well, it seems we have arrived." He opened the door, stepping out and immediately offering his hand for hers before remembering her earlier words and taking it back. The corner of Marinette's lips arched in amusement as she stepped out onto the smoothly paved walkway.

"Now, I do believe we have a function to crash," Adrien said with humor lacing his tone, offering her his arm in case she wanted to take it. To his surprise, she did, regarding him with teasing intentions in her sparkling blue eyes.

"We? I have an invitation, _Vicomte_. You don't. The only interloper here, is you, sir."

* * *

 **Thank you for your continued support, even when I update so slowly. Lately it's been hard for me to feel inspired but I think that's starting to change :)**

 **Also, I know 'gatecrashing' sounds really informal and honestly out of place for this story, but I couldn't find any solid history of the term so I could name it something more fitting.**


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